NHER 2210 (Building record) - St Mary's Church, West Walton

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Summary

This large church has a grand detached bell tower and it and the church date to around 1240 but before the advent of tracery. The church is one of the best early C13 churches in the British Isles with all the attributes of a Lincoln Cathedral inspired style. Arcades with en delit shafts, water-holding bases, stiff leaf caps and busy mouldings to arches. Some late medieval alterations but retains a very good original clerestory with series of lancets exreseed as arcading to the exterior. The church also contains original wallpaintings and the extended churchyard contains the remnants of medieval ridge and furrow as well as the bases of two medieval crosses (see NHER 13395).

Protected Status/Designation

Location

Map sheet TF41SE
Civil Parish WEST WALTON, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK

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Large church with grand detached bell tower reusing Norman remnants. Some 14th century work. Much altered in 15th century and perhaps also of about 1600. Contains original wall paintings. Extended churchyard includes ridge and furrow. Two crosses in yard (see NHER 13395).

1953.
Roman pottery found in churchyard.
See report, old prints and photocopies in file.
E. Rose (NLA) 20 August 1992.

October 1992. Excavation.
Small excavation of nave arcade pier footing, prior to underpinning work.
See short report (S3) for further details.
An archive associated with this work has been deposited with Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2022.98).
E. Rose (NLA) 17 September 1992. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 6 December 2022.

Appropriate section from (S1) in file.

This is one of the sixty five Norfolk churches selected for (S2).
D. Gurney (NLA) 17 February 2006.

Historic building report.
S. Heywood suggests that the parish church is of mid-13th century date.
See (S3) for further information.
S. Howard (NLA), 16 June 2010.

  • --- Article in Serial: [unknown]. Sussex Notes and Queries. Vol VI, no 1, p 2. p 2.
  • --- Article in Serial: August 1936. [unknown]. Sussex Notes and Queries. Vol VI, no 2, p 82. p 82.
  • --- Article in Serial: R. Lithgow and M. Perry. 2005. The Wall Paintings of West Walton. Historic Churches. 12,pp9-10.
  • --- Collection: Norfolk Historic Environment Record Staff. 1975-[2000]. HER Record Notes. Norfolk Historic Environment Service.
  • --- Fiche: Exists.
  • --- Monograph: Bryant, T. H. 1902. Hundred of Freebridge Marshland. The Churches of Norfolk. Vol X. pp 102-113.
  • --- Monograph: Hart, S.. 2010. Medieval Church Window Tracery in England. pp 22, 31, 46.
  • --- Monograph: Lithgow & Perry in Taylor, J. M.. 2005. The wallpaintings of West Walton in Historic Churches.. 9-10.
  • --- Monograph: Pevsner, N and Wilson, B. 1999. Norfolk 2: North-West and South. The Buildings of England. 2nd Edition. pp 771-773; Pl 19, Pl 20, Pl 21.
  • --- Monograph: Pevsner, N. 1962. North-West and South Norfolk. The Buildings of England. 1st Edition. pp 379-380; Pl 7, Pl 20b, Pl 21a.
  • --- Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1988. Church tower striking landmark in village. 23 April.
  • --- Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1990. [Photograph of the tower at St Mary's Church, West Walton]. 1 August.
  • --- Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1991. A frustrating crusade. 2 August.
  • --- Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2009. Twelve churches are picture perfect. 3 April.
  • --- Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2013. Care and attention for a historic church in the Sixties. 17 May.
  • --- Newspaper Article: Lynn News. 1997-1998. [Articles on the fund raising for restoration work at St Mary's Church, West Walton].
  • --- Newspaper Article: Lynn News. 1998. Highway to happiness. 28 July.
  • --- Oblique Aerial Photograph: Various. ? - 2020. Norfolk Air Photo Library: Oblique Collection. TF4713/A-B; 28-JUL-1983 (HES 136/ATH 29,25).
  • --- Oblique Aerial Photograph: Various. ? - 2020. Norfolk Air Photo Library: Oblique Collection. TF4713/K, N; 09-FEB-1984 (HES 139/AUD 14, 17).
  • --- Photograph: GMT, FWD 1-8, FWA.
  • --- Photograph: Rose, E.. 2001. JZR 32-36.
  • --- Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
  • --- Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TF 41 SE 12.
  • --- Secondary File: Secondary File.
  • --- Slide: Various. Slide.
  • --- Unpublished Document: Feilden & Mawson. 1990. Parish Church of St Mary, West Walton, Norfolk. Specification for Repairs 1990.
  • --- Unpublished Document: Heywood, S. Historic building report for St Mary's Church and Bell Tower, West Walton, Norfolk.. Building Report.
  • <S1> Monograph: Batcock, N. 1991. The Ruined and Disused Churches of Norfolk. East Anglian Archaeology. No 51. Microfiche 5:G12. No 108; p 52.
  • <S2> Publication: Jenkins, S. 2000. England's Thousand Best Churches.
  • <S3> Unpublished Contractor Report: Whitmore, D. 1992. West Walton Church - Watching Brief. Norfolk Archaeological Unit.
  • POT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • POT (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • ARCHITECTURAL FRAGMENT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • COFFIN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • DOOR (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • FONT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • PISCINA (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • POT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • TILE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • WALL PAINTING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • WINDOW (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • Xbell frame (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • WALL PAINTING (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • WINDOW (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Record last edited

May 27 2025 11:56AM

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